HELENA — The Democrat and Republican U.S. Senate candidates went back on forth Monday over debates during the campaign season with each exchanging barbs before even getting to the podium.

Democratic Sen. Jon Tester, who is seeking a third term, said Rosendale had “decided at the last minute to bail” from their first debate scheduled Sunday at the Montana Broadcasters Association convention in Whitefish.

Republican challenger Matt Rosendale on Monday challenged Tester to five debates during the campaign.

“Jon Tester has abandoned his Montana values, and I look forward to holding him accountable for his liberal record of obstruction and opposition to President Trump’s agenda at nearly every turn,” Rosendale said in a news release.

GOP Senate candidate Matt Rosendale(Photo: Courtesy)

The Broadcasters Association debate is something of a custom in Montana politics.

Shane Scanlon, a spokesman for the Rosendale campaign, said the broadcasters’ debate was organized without any input or agreement from Rosendale, and it was scheduled on Father’s Day.

“We didn’t agree to attend since Matt is spending the day with his wife and sons, and he's not moving that around nor should he,” Scanlon said.

Dewey Bruce, the president and CEO of the broadcasters' association, said he personally informed Rosendale's campaign and the other three Republican candidates for U.S. Senate a month and a half ago of the date and location of the debate, the Associated Press reported.

The Rosendale campaign's response at the time was positive, though he didn't commit, Bruce said.

"If they weren't going to do it, I'm surprised they wouldn't have told me last week," Bruce said.

Tester, a Big Sandy farmer seeking a third term, has played up that Rosendale has lived in the state for about 20 years and is a developer.

“Whatever the excuse is, it’s disappointing. This debate is a Montana tradition, but of course Montana traditions mean nothing to ‘Maryland Matt,’” Tester said. “Montana voters can't trust Matt Rosendale to keep his word, but Jon Tester will be in Whitefish whether Matt Rosendale is there or not.”

Rosendale said the contrast between candidates couldn’t be clearer in this race.

“I will work alongside President Trump to advance his agenda because what’s good for our nation is great for Montana,” he said.

The Matt for Montana campaign already has committed to the two fall debates historically hosted by MTN News and Montana PBS, campaign workers said.

Rosendale, the current state auditor, won over three other GOP candidates in the June 5 primary to be the Republican nominee for U.S. Senate in the Nov. 6 general election

The following day, Tester called out Rosendale for the June 17 debate in Whitefish.

Tester said Rosendale “refused to participate in a statewide televised debate when he ran for state auditor in 2016.”

Jeremy Johnson, associate political science professor at Carroll College, said Rosendale refused to debate Jesse Laslovich in the 2016 auditor's race yet still won election. But he only ran 7 points ahead of Laslovich compared to Trump running over 20 ahead of Hillary Clinton.

"Of course, the U.S. Senate race is a far more high-profile race than auditor, so decisions about campaigning, such as debating, are magnified," he said.

"Debates about debates have become campaign issues in the past," Johnson said.

There are now four candidates running for the Senate seat. However, candidates from the Libertarian and Green parties said they were not asked to participate.

“If they want to be journalists, they should have all the candidates,” Green Party candidate Steve Kelly said of the Montana Broadcasters Association.

Green Party candidate Steve Kelly(Photo: Photo Courtesy Steve Kelly)

“I would debate anybody, anywhere, anytime,” Kelly said. “I’d give Tester a good run for his money.”

Libertarian Rick Breckenridge said he was not surprised he was not asked.

“Those guys don’t want anything to do with us,” he said. “I’d be there anytime, anyplace.”

Libertarian Party candidate Rick Breckenridge(Photo: Courtesy photo)

“It’s not unexpected,” he said of the broadcasters' decision. “It’s disappointing they think it’s a two- party system.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story. Reach Phil Drake at 406-422-0772 or pdrake@greatfallstribune.com.